<Z e h> J o u r n a l

MONSEY, NY, OCTOBER 25, 2010—Top rabbis of the largest Orthodox Jewish communities in Rockland county convened an urgent summit meeting Sunday evening to address threats to religious people and religious education. The rabbis unanimously agreed, for the midterm elections, to urge their communities to shun candidates who oppose morality.

Scapegoating People of Faith.

The summit focused the way in which “gay rights” legislation that purports to advance “equality” and end “discrimination” in effect, demonizes and scapegoats people of faith, blaming them for the problems of homosexuals.Same-sex marriage laws, in particular, threaten to unleash attacks on education, lawsuits, and the loss of state licensing, for people committed to Biblical values.

Rav Laizer Chayim Blum, Grand Rabbi of Kasho communities in Rockland, Westchester and Brooklyn, spoke stirringly about the need to avoid sacrificing Torah principles for material benefit, and the terrible price to be paid for such compromises.He emphasized that sin is sin, and can never be whitewashed with the morally-neutral rhetoric of “anti-discrimination.” The Grand Rabbi also stressed the need for activism and outreach to other Orthodox voters not yet familiar or fully sensitized to these issues.

Rabbi Noson Leiter, Executive Director of the Orthodox Jewish advocacy group, Torah Jews for Decency, and an organizer of the event identified those candidates who advance the LGBT agenda. “The prospect of State Senator Eric Schneiderman, an avid proponent of same-gender ‘marriage,’ becoming the highest ranking law-enforcement official in New York state, raises the specter of thousands of Bible-adherents eventually becoming criminalized for their religious beliefs and practices.Additionally, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s pledge to prioritize same-sex ‘marriage,’ should disgust any G-d fearing voter and disqualify him.”

Rabbi Leiter also urged voters in Monroe to reject the pro-abortion, Log-Cabinist Nan Hayworth in District 19 by writing in “Neil DiCarlo.”Family-values voters could play a pivotal role in state Senate contests, including races involving Queens Senator Frank Padavan and Rockland County candidate C. Scott Vanderhoef. Senator Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand were identified as candidates to vote against.

Threat to Religious Education.

Dovid Z. Schwartz, editor of Zeh Journal, illustrated the threat to religious education posed by recently-enacted changes to New York state Education Law.The Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) changed the legal definition of the terms “tolerance,” “respect for others,” and “dignity,” which are required to be taught in civics classes in both public and private schools, to include “awareness and sensitivity to discrimination and harassment” for “sexual orientation” and other “religions” and “religious practices.” DASA requires religious schools to contravene Biblical law by teaching “respect” for the very ideas and conduct that the Torah requires Jews to unequivocally reject in the strongest terms.

A senior pro-family activist, Reb Shlomo Diamant, addressed the assembled Rabbis as well, noting how anti-religious intolerance has been sold to the public under the cover of “anti-discrimination” in an attempt to conceal efforts to undermine the free thought and practice of Bible-believers.

The landmark Rabbinic summit took place as Carl Paladino visited another Orthodox community in Williamsburg, in his run for Governor against same-sex marriage advocate Andrew Cuomo.At the same time, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn mocked the basic constitutional right of free speech by blaming a rash of physical attacks against homosexuals on statements made by Mr. Paladino to an Orthodox audience earlier this month.

Mr. Paladino had remarked at that earlier meeting, “I just think my children, and your children, would be much better off, and much more successful, getting married and raising a family.And I don’t want them to be brainwashed into thinking that homosexuality is an equally valid or successful option.It isn’t.”

Rabbi Leiter observed, “Ms. Quinn’s hysterics have elevated Bible-bashing to a new plateau.”

The Torah Jews for Decency, an Orthodox Jewish advocacy group, believes that the more pro-family candidates succeed in conveying their message to the masses of Orthodox voters, the more they will succeed in winning the constituency that believes in family values.

Zeh Journal, www.zehjournal.com, tracks social, political and economic currents from the perspective of morality, ethics and religion.